More headlines: George W. Bush on Abortion

Find common ground where good people disagree

Q: What is your attitude towards abortion:

BUSH: Surely we can find common ground to reduce the number of abortions in America. This is a very important topic, and it’s a very sensitive topic because a lot of good people disagree on the issue.
I think what the next president ought to do is promote a culture of life in America. As a matter of fact, I think a noble goal for this country is that every child, born and unborn, ought to be protected in law and welcomed into life.
What I do believe is, we can find good common ground on issues like parental notification or parental consent. And I know we need to ban partial-birth abortions. This is a place where my opponent and I have strong disagreements. I believe banning
partial-birth abortion would be a positive step toward reducing the number of abortions in America.

Source: Presidential debate, Boston MA
Oct 3, 2000

GOP should keep plank to ban all abortions

While Bush has said throughout the campaign that he is opposed to abortion, he has said he wouldn’t insist on an anti-abortion litmus test for judicial nominations or a vice president. Yesterday, Bush said he believes the Republican Party
should keep a platform plank that calls for banning all abortions. “It’s going to be up to the Congress if America is ever ready for a constitutional amendment,” Bush said. “I understand that. The thing that’s important for our
party is to nominate somebody who can lead the country, somebody who can lead us toward a better understanding of life, and somebody who can find
common ground on issues such as partial-birth abortion and parental notification.“

Source: Boston Globe, p.A20
Jan 23, 2000

Focus on ways to reduce abortion; no litmus test

Several months ago, Bush said Roe v. Wade will not be overturned until hearts are changed and so we should focus on ways to reduce abortion. Last Monday he retreated further from the strictly pro-life agenda, saying he would not insist
on a “litmus test” for court nominees. Bush will always call himself pro-life, but it looks like... he would never ban abortions.

Source: Time Magazine, p. 40
Jun 28, 1999

Reduce abortions by means within current law

Good people on both sides of this issue can work to reduce the number of abortions. Passing parental notification. Promoting adoption. Praising the quiet goodness of crisis pregnancy centers. Opposing public funding of abortion. Teaching abstinence to
children. Ending partial-birth abortion. Building a culture of life, brick by brick. We are a society with enough compassion and wealth and love to care for children both before and after birth; to seek the promise and potential in every life.

Parental notification for minors

No matter where you stand on this next issue, I believe we all want to reduce the number of abortions in Texas. I look forward to working. to pass a bill to involve parents in this major medical decision for their minor daughters.

Source: 1999 State of the State Address, Austin TX
Jan 27, 1999

No litmus test except strict Constitutional interpretation

“If elected, I will support Supreme Court judges who will strictly interpret the Constitution.” A strict stance on abortion, he indicated, would not rest at the top of his list of requirements for an appointee, though Bush has voiced strong personal
opposition to most forms of the procedure. “I will not have a litmus test for my judges, except for: Will the judge strictly interpret the Constitution, and not use the bench to write social policy?”

Source: Ian Christopher McCaleb, CNN.com
Aug 30, 2000

States should decide abortion issue; not Roe v. Wade

Bush said he counts abortion among the dozens of difficult issues that should be decided by individual states rather than the federal government. Roe v. Wade was wrong because it “usurped the power of the legislatures,” Bush said. “I felt like it was a
case where the court took the place of what legislatures should do in America,” he said. But Bush refused to say how he felt each state should act. Instead, he said that when it comes to legalizing abortion, “it should be up to each legislature.”